Minolta Hi-Matic 11
The Minolta Hi-Matic 11 is a 35mm film rangefinder camera manufactured by Minolta Camera Co.,Ltd., Osaka, Japan with shutter priority automatic exposure and introduced in 1969. The Minolta Hi-Matic 7S and Minolta Hi-Matic 9, both released in 1966, were slightly improved versions of the popular Minolta Hi-Matic 7. The Minolta Hi-Matic was the same as the Minolta Hi-Matic 7S with the addition of a slightly faster f/1.7 lens. The Minolta Hi-Matic 11 was a version of the Minolta Hi-Matic 9 with no manual controls. Engravings on the front of the camera SUPER 3 CIRCUIT means the three auto-modes: fully auto programmed exposure, shutter priority auto control and auto flash control It is a typical 1960's camera considering its size, close to the Konica Auto S2 and the Yashica Electro 35. The Hi-Matics always had an automatic exposure mode. The original Hi-Matic had it controlled by a selenium meter, plus a flash mode with shutter speed 1/30 sec. and manual aperture control. Later Hi-Matics had CdS meters, always placed within the filter ring. Specifications *Lens: Minolta Rokkor-PF, 45mm f/1.7 6 elements in 5 groups, filter thread 55mm **Aperture: f/1.7-f/16, setting: fully automatic; Focus range: 0.8-8m +inf **Focusing: matching rangefinder images in the viewfinder *Shutter: Seiko ALA leaf shutter, speeds: 1/8-1/500 +Ba **setting : auto in auto mode, the manual setting ring and scale on the lens-shutter barrel **The camera can be operated in semi-automatic speed priority or fully automatic modes **Auto (AA) and Flash marks and manual speed scale are on the same mode ring *Cocking lever: also winds the film, short stroke *Frame counter: auto-reset, advance type, window just beside the winding lever *Viewfinder : bright frame, auto parallax correction when focusing (keep the subject in the bright lines), coupled with diamond-shaped split image rangefinder **Displays aperture scale with meter needle, with over-under exposure red lines on the right side, and speed as a mirror image on the right lover corner, **Also battery check rectangular index and flash-matic marks (coupled) *Exposure meter: CdS meter, CLC (Contrast Light Compensator) electric-eye exposure metering, cell and small round light window on the upper front side of the lens' filter ring **Film speed range: 25-500 ASA, setting: by the lever and scale, on mode ring **Metering range: EV 6.5-17 **Exposure setting: fully Automatic on auto (AA) mode, or Speed prority auto *Hot-shoe *Flash PC socket: left side of the camera, X synch. 1/30 **Automatic flash guide numbers setting lever and scale (meter/feet) on the lens, 10-80 in meters **Automatic flash control: fit the flash unit onto the camera, then set the mode ring to the flash mark, then set the GN lever according to the guide number of the flash unit, then check the viewfinder, the needle must be on the flash mark for correct exposure *Self-timer: lever on the lens-shutter barrel, set to V *Film loading: special multi-slot take up spool **Safe load signal: shows proper film load and winding, small window, on the back of the top plate, when the counter shows 1, a red signal appears in the window means the loading is OK and it is also stays visible when proper winding, when re-winding disappears. *Back cover: hinged, opens by a latch on the left side of the camera *Engraving on the bottom plate: Japan *Tripod socket: 1/4 *Strap lugs *Body: metal, Weight: 740g *Battery: 1.35v PX625 Mercury, (can be replaced with the equally sized PX625A Alkalin 1.5v battery or equivelants **Battery compartment: on the bottom plate **Battery check: black and yellow dots must be alligned by turning the ring on the lens Links *in Minolta Hi-Matic by Gary Stahl * Manual on Mike Butkus's site * Minolta Hi-Matic 11 on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand Category: Japanese 35mm rangefinder Hi-Matic 11 Category: M Hi-Matic 11